Historical Collection
This 48th Infantry (Dragoons) has a collection of regimental historical items located in the Bn Headquarters of the active duty 1-48th Infantry at Ft Leonard Wood.
Included in the collections is the original old 48th Armored Infantry Battalion colors* which was used from WW2 to through the 1963 reorganization. *(Recall that although the 48th Infantry was reactivated in February 1942 as the 48th Armored Infantry Regiment, in September 1943 battalions were redesignated per WW2 doctrine whereby Armored Divisions had separate Armored Infantry Battalion's (AIB) not infantry regiments. The 48th Infantry Regt was reorganized into separately numbered battalions, the 23rd, 38th, 48th.)
A 1966 A-1-48 Guideon contributed to the collection by Mario Quintero who was presented it by his Top Sergeant at the time he achieved the rank of Sergeant E5 as a mortar platoon squad leader.
They also have other guideons, plus copies of historical photos. The artifacts are displayed in the hallway, conference room, and auditorium.
Among items in possession of the collection is a copy of the original manuscript of the March of the 48th Armored Infantry Regiment written by Pvt. Ernie Gallet in WW2. Words are:
We're men of the Forty Eighth in the Armored Infantry
We'll FIGHT our way to VIC-TOR-RY.
In our half-tracks we'll be Rolling
From dawn 'til end of day.
We will strive with all our might
To save the hon-or of the flag in the Fighting Forty Eigth!
The following are some holdings:
Panoramic photo from WW1 of the Regiment.
Menu Roster: December 1918, G-48th Inf, Camp Jackson , SC
Photo, Panoramic, 1920, L Co. 48th Inf, Camp Jackson , SC
Unit Insignia, Metal, 48th Armored Infantry Regiment, c. 1942
Book: BOB’S STORY, memories of Love and War in WW2
By Robert E. P. Moranda and George E. Moranda
Writers Club Press, an imprint of iUniverst .com, Inc., 5220 S 16th St. , Suite 200
Lincoln , Nebraska 68512 www. Iuniverse.com
A personal account of 1–48th Infantry (38th Armored Infantry Bn) during this time it earned the Presidential Unit Citation during the Battle of the Bulge for its defense of the vital crossroads at St. Vith , Belgium . See pages 121 to 256
Photo, B-1-48, Worms Germany , Winter 1960
Unit Insignia, Metal, 48th Infantry, c. 1970
Unit Insignia, Metal, West German Army, Panzergrenidierbattalion 152, c. 1970
Reserve Assoc. Emblem, West German Army, Gelnhausen-Meerholz
Collar Insignia, Officers’ Metal, 48th Infantry, c. 1942-1963
Coffee Mug, 1-48th Infantry, white with unit shield
Book: Class, 1988, B-3-48th Inf, Ft. McClellan , AL